8 Tips on How to Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile — 2021

6 min readSep 27, 2020

When LinkedIn launched in 2003, it aimed to connect people to become more productive and successful. LinkedIn was more of a recruitment platform back then connecting job seekers and employers. And that’s exactly what I did back in 2014. I created a profile to increase my visibility to recruiters and showcase my work history for work opportunities.

Back then, it was as simple as creating your profile and listing your work history. Connect with your immediate colleagues, submit your resume, and you’re done.

But as LinkedIn grew and diversified its business, more and more professionals and companies from every industry, small or large, are joining the community. LinkedIn reports it has 660 million users. Hence, all the more that we need to stand out from the crowd by building up a compelling profile.

When I transitioned to B2B selling in 2016, I realised the power of a great profile and presence on LinkedIn. I transformed my profile from an online resume to one that delivers value to my potential clients. As time went on, I’ve networked and connected with other professionals.

And in my job, it is important to build trust. It was crucial that I was deemed an expert and a resource in my field. I started sharing relevant information about our domain on LinkedIn, made valuable connections, and consulted with my audience with best practices. Eventually, I was able to convert individual leads into clients forming long-standing business partnerships from LinkedIn.

To those who are just getting started on LinkedIn, it’s not too late for you to build your presence and network with peers.

Here are some actionable items to help you set up and optimize your Linkedin Profile.

1. Use an appropriate profile picture.

The first element that prospects and recruiters alike look at is your profile picture. Make a first great impression through your profile picture as statistics prove that users with profile photos garner far higher engagement than those without.

Use an appropriate photo as your profile picture that presents you as a professional. Avoid using photos that are too casual or alluring. We’ve all seen those profiles who have posed their pets, used a selfie, and even struck a duck face.

2. Write a catchy headline that aptly describes and captures who you are and what you do.

The headline sits right below your profile photo and so it is the first element that visitors see on your profile. That said, it is imperative that you communicate what you do strikingly. You have the option to use your current title as your headline or customize it to highlight your value.

Recruiters use specific keywords when they search for candidates, so you ensure you use keywords in your headline.

For example, business developers write how their product or service helps their customers and include relevant keywords.

Here are some great headlines:

It is also important to note that the headline is limited to 120 characters only so be sure to be concise.

3. Create a compelling and authentic summary.

Everybody has a story about their career, values, and experiences so you can maximize this section to tell your story authentically. You can use this section to further attract attention to your profile, especially if you are looking to move from your current role.

For sales people, your prospects look at your profile and decide from there to connect with you or not. Hence, it is important to showcase in your summary the benefits of connecting with you or even engaging with you. As a tip, you can check your company’s unique selling proposition or value prop and tweak it to fit your summary.

Don’t forget to include keywords that are relevant to your expertise and your role.

4. Establish yourself as a though-leader and build up your authority.

What better way to use LinkedIn to build your authority and validate your credentials is to share, create, and curate content that will resonate to your target audience.

When I was doing B2B, one way I did it is by leveraging the content that our company was creating and distributing. I frequently shared relevant topics on my feed, including my own perspective. Another tip for salespeople is to compose and publish your own original content that is tied to the industry you are focusing on.

If you are a leader in your company or a specialist in a vertical, you can offer to write your insights to your marketing department, which they can publish on your company’s website and social media channels.

5. Request for Recommendations kindly.

Although you have to request Recommendations proactive, this is a powerful section to affirm your experience and skills. It is like a testimonial that your co-worker, boss, teammate, or peer can positively write about you.

A good strategy to do this is by writing a recommendation for that connection you are requesting it from. I am sure it won’t hurt if you would genuinely compose a testimonial that uplifts that person, too. In that way, it would be a bit embarrassing for that person not to return the favour.

6. Don’t just list out the job description of every position you’ve held.

If you would detail your work history, avoid copy/pasting every job description of the positions you’ve held. Strategically articulate your achievements and skill set in each role instead. The goal here is to showcase your value in your experience.

If your goal is to land a new job, the recruiter will be vetting whether you are a good fit to the role. That said, it is paramount to align your values and experience with your target position.

Here are some examples of how you can write it:

Increased my book of business by XX% YOY through cold calling and email, and LinkedIn prospecting

Launched XX project in XX weeks/months and achieved [value]

Oversaw a team of X in the [vertical] and managed to exceed quota

Leveraged LinkedIn Sales Navigator to convert XX leads to clients

Let’s say you’re a digital marketing manager. A paragraph form of your experience section can be like this:

(A) Led a team of two digital marketing executives to increase conversion and revenue of our e-commerce business. In X [timeline], we achieved [amount] revenue by implementing digital marketing strategies that attracted more potential buyers to our website. In [year], our contribution to the total business grew from X% to X%.

(B) Oversee and manage all aspects of digital marketing, including SEO & SEM and social media channels. In [year], we have improved our rankings in the SERPs by X%. This resulted to increased inbound leads generated for our inside sales, which is equivalent to X [amount] in new business.

7. Maximize the Featured section.

Early this year, LinkedIn has launched the new “Featured” section to highlight achievements and links. This is a great element to showcase and demonstrate examples of your work, achievements, or projects prominently.

8. Maintain and keep your profile active.

After completing all the sections of your profile and achieving an All-Star profile strength, remember that LinkedIn is a professional networking platform as well. Get connected with your industry peers and create meaningful connections.

With the benefits of creating a profile on LinkedIn, it is certainly a tool you need to maximize. Whether you are looking for a career move or wanting to grow and expand your professional network, you can make the most of LinkedIn to stand out.

Originally published at https://www.theannelytics.com.